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Step 1: Buying Basil At the market, look for perky bunches and avoid any brown, bruised or yellow leaves. To get the most out of basil, buy a bunch that still has its roots attached and trim them when you get home. Put them in a glass of water.

Step 2: Cover the Basil Cover loosely with a plastic bag and keep at room temperature — instant greenhouse! Tip: Basil is delicate; use within a day or two.

Step 3: Leafy Herbs Some leafy herbs, like cilantro, parsley and tarragon, come bunched together with a rubber band.

Step 6: Woody Herbs Woody herbs, like rosemary and thyme, will last a couple of weeks stored the same way in a damp paper towel.

Step 7: Buy Healthy-Looking Sprigs Look for healthy-looking sprigs with leaves firmly attached. Like the other herbs, avoid bunches that are black or moldy. No matter which herbs you're dealing with, clean them in a large bowl of water before you use them.

Step 8: Add Flavor to Your Meal With fresh herbs at your fingertips, you can brighten up any meal.

How to Buy and Store Herbs01:29

Use our tips on buying and storing fresh herbs to brighten up any meal.